Context:  

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Oceania Regional Office engagement in the Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP) Programme, was through the By-catch and Integrated Ecosystem Management (BIEM) Initiative, through SPREP, supporting marine spatial planning in Fiji and Solomon Islands. This support for marine spatial planning allowed these collaborating partners to support governments, communities and other stakeholders to plan for the long-term sustainable use of the ocean space.   

Change Process: 

National Consultations  

In both Fiji and the Solomon Islands, local ownership of marine spatial planning (MSP) was fostered through the establishment of dedicated working groups and extensive national and community consultations. In the Solomon Islands, this took the form of the Ocean12 Technical Working Group (TWG) and two full rounds of national consultations were held across all nine provinces, ensuring that the marine spatial plan reflected community values, customary rights and national priorities. While in Fiji, this relied on three key technical bodies: the National Environment Council (NEC), the Marine Protected Areas Technical Advisory Committee (MPATAC), and the National Ocean Policy Steering Committee (NOPSC) along with consultations across the Lau and Tailevu provinces where 99% of those that were engaged supported the candidate marine protected areas (MPAs).  

Training and Capacity Building  

In Solomon Islands, national workshops and meetings were conducted to review the draft MSP outputs (maps) and development of an MSP compliance framework. These gatherings enabled consultative process from all necessary partners to review and revise all spatial data from the province wide consultations, with all maps digitized and georeferenced. Fifteen team leaders that led the first and second round nationwide Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) consultations gathered for a three-day write-shop in Tulagi, Central Islands Province, from the 4th to 6th August 2021. The participants reviewed all the nine provincial field reports from the second round of public consultations on the zero-draft maps and develop a synthesis report, the feedback and maps from the consultations to enable the consolidation of the findings to inform the development of the draft ocean plan or marine spatial plan.  

For Fiji, as part of ongoing efforts to gather data for the final design of a marine spatial plan that includes CBD 30x30 goals, IUCN—together with the Waitt Institute and the University of California, Santa Barbara—delivered a "Fiji 30x30 Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) Technical Training" in Suva, Fiji, from 17–18 August 2022. The training brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from Government Ministries, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Regional Organisations, and local communities. Participants were trained in the use of SeaSketch, an intuitive and collaborative tool designed to store, visualize, and manage spatial ocean data collected in the field. In Fiji’s context, SeaSketch supported expert, sectoral, and community consultations by facilitating feedback on the draft network of proposed MPAs. 

Results and Impact: 

Both countries now have draft MSPs and MPA network proposals. Fiji’s draft map developed during this project designates 15 offshore MPAs contributing to the national commitment to protect 30% of its EEZ. Consultation with partners and stakeholders have been ongoing since the project ended in 2023. 

For Solomon Islands', their draft plan targets a 17% representation of its marine space, aligned with national policy and supported by field consultations, expert workshops, and technical inputs. Both drafts are now under government review and awaiting formal submission to Cabinet for endorsement. 

Beyond the milestones and deliverables, the BIEM Initiative has generated inspiring stories of leadership and innovation: 

• For example, Liaison officers in both countries played central roles in national coordination, community engagement, and policy dialogue. Both have since advanced to international study and research, returning home to continue shaping ocean policy. 

• The Lau Seascape initiative in Fiji stands out as a model of provincial engagement. Six of the proposed MPAs lie within this region, contributing significantly to the national target. 

• In Solomon Islands, the MSP process has been anchored in customary knowledge and governance, integrating traditional practices into spatial prioritisation and marine area designation. 

Next Steps to Finalisation: 

The finalisation and gazettal of the MSP and MPA networks in Fiji and Solomon Islands will be pivotal steps in national marine governance; when the next steps, will include: 

• Incorporating private sector input, especially from the fishing and shipping industries; 

• Finalising public consultation reports and submitting updated draft maps to Cabinet; 

• Undertaking cost-benefit and climate risk assessments to inform management scenarios; 

• And continuing technical support, particularly for monitoring, compliance, and enforcement through projects like the Marine Compliance and Optimization Project (MCMOP).  

Challenges: 

Despite the progress, several challenges have affected the pace and scope of implementation -including: 

• Natural Disasters and Climate Shocks 

• Political Transitions and Institutional Restructuring 

• In Solomon Islands, political unrest in 2021 hampered consultation efforts and report consolidation. 

• The COVID-19 Pandemic at the time 

Lesson Learned:  

• The need for resilient risk management and flexible project design in small island contexts 

• The importance of inter-ministerial collaboration and continuity across political cycles 

• The value of open-source tools and regional knowledge sharing for MSP 

• The power of inclusive consultation to foster legitimacy, local ownership, and lasting outcomes